‘Younger’ Star Hilary Duff Opens Up About Female Relationships In TVLand Show

Hilary Duff has opened up about how “Younger” has done a great job of showing women empowering and supporting other women.

In an interview with Vulture, the actress, who plays Kelsey on the show, said she loves how the female characters genuinely care about each other.

“It’s obviously based on the central lie, and obviously it’s wrong, but you realize the reason Liza’s (Sutton Foster) doing it,” Duff said. “It really is for a good reason — she has to put her child through college. And in the process, it shows how the world shames people for getting older, and also how people don’t get enough respect when they’re younger. ‘Younger’ deals with ageism on both spectrums, which is very unique. Their friendships are real and true, and aren’t conniving in any way.”

Duff also recently opened up about what made her agree to do the show and what drew her to her character. While speaking to Forbes, the actress said the show was a welcome change for her. She had been used to being a tween star. Duff played the titular role in Disney’s “Lizzie McGuire” when it ran in the early 2000s. Playing a more mature role that’s as relatable as Lizzie was what made her agree to be part of the TVLand show.

“I feel lucky to play a character who is very relatable,” Duff said. “What drew people to Lizzie McGuire was that she was relatable — how she felt and what she went through. Kelsey is very much that way, too. She’s a hard worker. She’s a hard player. She’s just making terrible choices in her personal life. That’s relatable to people in their 20s and older.”

Another reason why Duff is so drawn to her character, she told CBS News, is Kelsey’s unique view of the world. Duff said the character is always full of surprises, and she always has to guess what her character would do next.

See more of Duff as Kelsey on “Younger,” which airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on TVLand.

Hilary Duff opens up about the female characters of “Younger.” Pictured: Actress and singer Hilary Duff poses for a portrait while promoting her new album "Breathe In. Breathe Out." in New York June 17, 2015.Photo: Reuters/Lucas Jackson